Coal-mining Museum of Slovenia

In Velenje we are proud to have arranged one of the best and most modern museums in Europe. A visit to the museum is divided into two parts.On the guided tour of the underground part, which can be reached by the lift in a few seconds, visitors, with the help of a guide and multimedia presentation, learn of the formation, discovery and digging of coal in the past and today.All visitors are given a coalminer's lunch and ride on the transport line and underground railway.The second part enables the viewing of the permanent collection about the development of Slovenian coal mining. All Slovenian coalmines are presented and special attention is paid to the coalminers' residential culture before the year 1930. With the help of a film, visitors learn about the formation of the colonies and life in them. The multimedia presentation scene of the old coal miners' tradition is very important as well - "the jump over the skin" an old coalminers' initiation ritual. The museum is so safe that it can accept also handicapped persons in wheelchairs, but the museum must be notified of their visit in advance. The multimedia presentation in the whole museum is available in Slovenian, English, German, Italian, and Croatian. Special feature: The only underground coal-mining museum in this part of Europe; a descent in the 120-year-old elevator to the depth of 160 meters.